Kremlin Blames U.S. for Attempted Drone Strike on Putin Residence

Russia has pointed the finger at the U.S. for the Kremlin drone attack and said sabotage attacks by Ukraine behind Russian lines had reached "unprecedented momentum".

Ukraine allegedly masterminded the attacks in the intervening night between May 2 and May 3 to kill President Vladimir Putin using two drones with the U.S., a claim it vehemently denies.

"Decisions on such attacks are not made in Kyiv, but in Washington," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. "Kyiv only does what it is told to do."

Threatening the U.S., Peskov said, “Washington should understand clearly that we know this and understand how dangerous such direct involvement in the conflict is.”

Peskov said Putin was working in his office in the Kremlin as normal on Thursday but added that security measures in Moscow would be beefed up following the attack.

"Of course, everything will be strengthened. Everything has already been strengthened in preparation for the Victory Day parade" on May 9, he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he could not validate the drone strike, but urged to take claims from the Kremlin with a “very large shaker of salt.”

John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, also rejected Peskov’s claims saying, “Peskov is just lying there, pure and simple.”

Russia has also blamed Ukraine for a series of drone attacks on oil facilities and train derailments. Its foreign ministry said in a statement that the “terrorist and sabotage activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are gaining unprecedented momentum” and so Russia "reserves the right to take retaliatory measures."